Klein Tools Splinter Guard Fish and Glow Rod Kit Review

The new Klein Tools Splinter Guard Fish and Glow Rod Kit targets electricians and cable installers with an everything-you-need-in-one-set mentality. There’s a total of 33 feet of fish and glow rods, seven attachments, and a nice case to store it in.

The rods get a Splinter Guard coating that helps prevent the fiberglass rods from splintering – because we all know how much fun it is when those slide under your skin.

The big deal with this set is its comprehensiveness. Most other fish and glow rods set don’t give you the total reach or the full suite of attachments that Klein does.

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Pros

Incredibly comprehensive glow rod set

Excellent blend of rod lengths and stiffness

Splinter Guard keeps splinters from breaking off into your hands

Cons

No major drawbacks

Recommendation

The comprehensiveness of Klein’s glow rod set is something that every electrician will raise their eyebrows at. What you’ll want to gauge is if the variety of jobs you do call for this much length and accessory selection. If it does, pick these up and don’t look back.

Pricing

Online prices are starting around $131. Because this set is so comprehensive, there isn’t much to compare it to on the pricing side. Some of the nicer sets reach into the $100 range but still fall short on the length, attachment, or storage end.

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In the Field

I guess I’ve been missing out. Running wire with the Klein Tools Splinter Guard Fish and Glow Rod Kit is a breeze. I’ve run probably thousands of feet of wire across ceilings and down many two-story walls without one splinter to show for it.

That helps me get over my initial concerns, but I think the coolest feature is the set’s versatility. When running wire across a ceiling, I usually go on top of the insulation. Starting the train with the stiffer rods keeps the tip from diving down into the joists. It’s easy to keep the train on track with the more flexible rods on the back end.

The rods also vary in length. If you’re starting the Klein Tools Splinter Guard Fish and Glow Rod Kit in a tight bend or up against a wall, you can lead off with the shorter rods. The pair of 18-inch rods are excellent in that kind of run.

By the way, the case is excellent as well. Usually, these sets come in plastic tubes that last about three hours before getting crushed and ruined.

Be Sure to Accessorize

A lot of guys tend to carry just one tip, like a bullet nose. Stick with what works, right? Well, not always. Klein gives you quite an assortment of ways to snag a wire (or keep from snagging). In addition to the bullet-nose, there’s a single hook and a double hook.

Then there’s the plastic whisk with holes for attaching wire or cable. This is my favorite for installing cable above a dropped ceiling. The whisk’s double-threaded end might be the coolest thing about it. You can attach the whisk to a fish rod and attach a hook to the other end of the whisk.

Klein also includes a unique double-S hook as well as a magnet and chain. You can use the magnet on its own (even for picking up tools) or in conjunction with the chain if you can approach a space from both sides.

The perennial breaking point of cheap, low-quality glow rods is the metal end – either the rod will break at the attachment point or the metal will pull right off. But nothing like that has happened with the Klein Tools Splinter Guard Fish and Glow Rod Kit.

The luminescence is remarkably bright and long-lasting. It’s perfect for fishing above a ceiling from one recess can light hole to another.

The Bottom Line

This Klein Tools Splinter Guard Fish and Glow Rod Kit is simply the most comprehensive quality set around. I’m very happy with its splinter-free versatility and I’m working for efficiently than ever.